Albert Bates

Trainer for the Ecology Dimension

Albert Bates is an influential figure in the intentional community and ecovillage movements. He has been a resident of The Farm since 1972, and co-founded the Ecovillage Network of the Americas and the Global Ecovillage Network. He is a retired public interest attorney and author of more than twenty books on energy, environment and history. Albert’s books Shutdown: Nuclear Power on Trial (1979) and Climate in Crisis (1990) provided early insight into two of the greatest dangers now confronting the world. In 1980 he shared the first Right Livelihood Award for his work with Plenty International in preserving indigenous cultures. He was designer of concentrating photovoltaic arrays and solar-hybrid automobiles displayed at the 1982 World’s Fair. In 2024 he was chosen to receive the 4th annual Eco Hero Award in Santa Barbara California.
Albert has been director of the Global Village Institute for Appropriate Technology since 1984 and of the Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm community since 1994. Many of his books are available on Amazon, most recently Burn (2018), Making Waves (2021), and Retropopulationism (2023).